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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24716938">Lockdown Threads</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLTventures/pseuds/SLTventures'>SLTventures</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Emmerdale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:54:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24716938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLTventures/pseuds/SLTventures</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Following #Vanity in lockdown. Starting from a couple of days on after the last scene we saw of them, in Emmerdale where Charity was about to take Ness home after the pub quiz debacle.</p><p>Written in script format.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Charity Dingle/Vanessa Woodfield</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Day 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wednesday 25th March 2020.</p><p>In the lounge of Jacob’s Fold. Ness goes to lie down on the sofa. Charity moves to join her but is still stood up.</p><p>CHARITY. Gosh it’s been a mad couple of days. Are you sure you’re okay babe?<br/>
VANESSA. Honestly, I’m fine honey. I am a bit tired, but nothing a rest and a cuddle from you won’t fix. Sit down with me eh? You need to take care of yourself as well as everyone else you know.<br/>
CHARITY. I will. Oh, that’s Deb ringing (Charity perches on the sofa and answers her mobile) Yep, Deb, hi babe. Did Sarah and Noah get to you okay?..Uh huh, yeah, yeah, oh what’s he like, oh heck, oh, oh that’s good. I’m so glad…..yes we’re all good here Ness is just taking it easy…<br/>
VANESSA mouths ‘send them my love’<br/>
CHARITY. Ness sends her love to you all. Yep, thanks. You sure you don’t mind having Noah for a bit? I know we don’t know how long this will all last….but as they’ll likely be off school a while….yeah…I was surprised when he suggested it. I didn’t want him to think I was palming him off again, but with Ness and everything…you know…yeah…yeah…thanks babe. Okay you all take care, and get him to facetime me at least once a week yeah?...Yes and you too, we could have a family quiz on there too, yeah …..or on that too, okay, I’ve not heard of that one I’ll check it out. ….Okay yes, oh oh okay, yes sure you go see to them. Thanks again. Yes thanks, you too, love you, love you, bye!<br/>
CHARITY puts her mobile on the coffee table and sits up close to Ness, getting her to put her feet up over her legs, as they sit at right angles to each other.<br/>
VANESSA. They got there okay then?<br/>
CHARITY. Yeah, in the end. The train was running a bit late, and then when they got in Noah tripped over Sarah’s luggage as they got off and he went flying. But he was okay apparently, nothing damaged, apart from his pride maybe.<br/>
VANESSA. Stop smirking.<br/>
CHARITY. (She winks at Ness) You know me so well babe. Sorry, but you must have that scene playing in your head now same as me! Pity Sarah didn’t have time to react, she could’ve filmed and got herself 250 quid off that telly programme!<br/>
VANESSA. Uncle Zak might have filmed it, so we could see our babies meeting up with them safely?<br/>
CHARITY. Ooh that’s true, he might’ve. Oh, oh babe, thank you.<br/>
CHARITY reaches up and puts her right hand on Ness’ left cheek, strokes it, then leans in and gives her a soft kiss on the lips.<br/>
VANESSA looks puzzled. That was lovely but what are you thanking me for?<br/>
CHARITY. Babe, you just called Noah and Sarah ‘our babies’.<br/>
VANESSA. Well they are, same as you’re Johnny’s mum.<br/>
CHARITY smiled so wide she thought her jaw might get stuck.<br/>
VANESSA. And I’m step mum to Deb and Ryan. Although with me that gives him three mums now, that’s quite an undertaking for him! Charity, I love being a part of your big family, and I’ll be proud to be Mrs Dingle-Woodfield very soon honey.<br/>
CHARITY. Not ‘Woodfield-Dingle’?<br/>
VANESSA. Nah, I think the Dingle has to come first, don’t you? It has a better ring to it. Or ding should I say, ha ha. “Dingle bells, Dingle bells, dingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride, in a one-horse open sleigh-“<br/>
CHARITY. “Hey!”<br/>
They grinned at each other.<br/>
CHARITY. I do love you babe. So much, my heart it’s…so full..I-<br/>
VANESSA. Oh babe. Here, let me wipe that bit of dust out of your eye eh.<br/>
CHARITY smiled through her tears.<br/>
VANESSA. Only happy tears, right?<br/>
CHARITY nods.<br/>
VANESSA. I love you so much babe, thank you for being you, I love you. Come here, snuggle next to me, I love it when we hold each other tight.<br/>
Vanessa shifted so Charity could snuggle in close to her. With her arms and legs tightly entwined with her love, Charity softly kissed the nape of Vanessa’s neck.<br/>
Vanessa snuggled into her as tight as she could, and reached for Charity’s hand to interlock fingers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Day 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Saturday 28th March 2020.</p><p>Moses, Johnny and Charity are sat on the sofa in Jacob’s Fold.</p><p>CHARITY. Did you brush your teeth, after your breakfast, boys?<br/>
JOHNNY. Yes, Mummy Charity, just like you showed me.<br/>
MOSES. Yes Mummy.<br/>
CHARITY. Good boys. Right, for the next four hours I’m Miss Dingle okay? Not Mummy. So, if you want me to get you anything, you have to put your hand up, and say ‘Miss Dingle’. Okay, shall we give that a try?<br/>
MOSES put his hand up.<br/>
CHARITY. Yes Moses?<br/>
MOSES. Missed Ingle?<br/>
CHARITY. Not quite, Moses, that’s not Mummy’s name. Try again babe.<br/>
MOSES puts his hand up again.<br/>
CHARITY. Yes Moses?<br/>
MOSES. Miss Mummy?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes, err, no. Okay let’s scrap that idea. Let’s pretend I’m now called Mrs Woodfield, okay?<br/>
JOHNNY.  That’s my second name!<br/>
CHARITY. Yes, darling that’s right. Miss Dingle has now got married to your Mummy and so she’s now called Mrs Woodfield.<br/>
JOHNNY. When (sniff) did Mummy (sniff) get married and not tell (sniff) me?<br/>
MOSES. I thought you were marrying Mummy Ness, Mummy?<br/>
CHARITY. She hasn’t Johnny. I am Moses. I just meant-. Never mind. Just call me ‘Miss’ okay?<br/>
MOSES. Okay Miss Mummy.<br/>
CHARITY. Okay so today’s lessons are going to be ‘Building a den’, Colouring, and Cooking! Then when Mummy Ness has got up after her lie in, we’re all going to go for a walk.<br/>
JOHNNY. Yay!<br/>
MOSES. What are we going to do first Mummy, Miss?<br/>
CHARITY. What would you like to do first babe?<br/>
MOSES. Erm…Can we build a den first please Mummy?<br/>
CHARITY. Is that okay with you Johnny babe?<br/>
JOHNNY nodded and smiled at CHARITY.<br/>
CHARITY. Right, as quietly as you can, so you don’t wake Mummy Ness, I want you to go to your bedrooms and get your duvets and pillows, a torch, and anything else you want for your den. Okay? I’ll wait at the bottom of the stairs so you can throw your duvets down to me. We don’t want you tumbling down the stairs trying to carry them, Mummy Ness would never forgive me. Right, I’m going to count down from sixty, so you’ll have one minute, okay?<br/>
JOHNNY and MOSES scrambled off the sofa and were poised ready to run upstairs, grinning at each other.<br/>
CHARITY. Ready? Steady?....Go! 60, 59, 58…<br/>
The boys toddled off up the stairs as quick as their little legs would carry them; while Charity grinned as she watched them go.<br/>
With her hand on her chin, she paused to consider how she would fare as a school teacher, before shaking her head and laughing off that bonkers idea.</p><p>LATER…<br/>
Ness came slowly down the stairs surveying the new look to their lounge.<br/>
CHARITY. Ah babe, you’re awake. How are you feeling now?<br/>
VANESSA. I’m much better for that longer sleep, thanks honey.<br/>
MOSES. Mummy Ness!<br/>
VANESSA. Yes babe?<br/>
MOSES. We’ve drawn a picture for you.<br/>
VANESSA. Ah let me see, thank you darling.<br/>
JOHNNY. I’ve drawn you a rainbow Mummy.<br/>
MOSES. And I’ve drawn you a-<br/>
VANESSA. Unicorn?<br/>
MOSES. No Mummy Ness, it’s a horse, silly!<br/>
VANESSA. Oh. yes, of course it is, I can see now. Silly Mummy.<br/>
VANESSA glanced across at CHARITY who was laughing, pleased to see that she wasn’t the only one being called ‘silly mummy’ for a change.<br/>
VANESSA. Well you have been busy bees this morning.<br/>
CHARITY. We didn’t wake you did we? I got them to be as quiet as possible.<br/>
VANESSA. No, it’s fine honey. I slept right through everything. I wish I hadn’t now, this den looks great fun. Can I have a look inside it boys?<br/>
JOHNNY. Yes, but you need to give the password first Mummy.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh. Can you give me a clue?<br/>
MOSES. What’s black and white but red all over?<br/>
VANESSA. Oh. Um. A ladybird?<br/>
JOHNNY. No, silly Mummy!<br/>
VANESSA. Oh!<br/>
MOSES. Can you guess?<br/>
VANESSA. Um, a zebra that’s rolled in some paint?<br/>
CHARITY. Shall I give Mummy a bigger clue boys?<br/>
MOSES. Oh, okay then Mummy.<br/>
CHARITY pointed to the newspaper on the kitchen counter.<br/>
VANESSA looked puzzled for a moment, and then realised.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh! ‘Read’ all over not ‘red’, is your password ‘Newspaper’?<br/>
JOHNNY. Yes! Clever Mummy.<br/>
MOSES. Ha ha okay you can go in now, but you have to wear your special hat.<br/>
VANESSA. My special hat?<br/>
MOSES. Yes, Mummy made us one each.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh. Okay. So, what does mine say on it Mummy Charity?<br/>
CHARITY. ‘Babe’. They all say that because you are all my babes!<br/>
CHARITY gave the boys a big squeeze, and then plonked Vanessa’s paper pirate-style hat on her head, and gave her a kiss on the lips.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh honey. I do love you. Want to come into my lair, pretty maiden?<br/>
CHARITY. Den, babe, den.<br/>
VANESSA. Ha ha yes, sorry boys, your fabulous den. Hang on, we need supplies if we are going to camp out in the den. What have you been baking, because it smells lovely in here?<br/>
CHARITY. Over to you boys.<br/>
JOHNNY. We’ve made muffins Mummy.<br/>
MOSES. Some are cheesy and some are sweet Mummy Ness.<br/>
VANESSA. Ooh they sound scrumptious. Which do you recommend?<br/>
CHARITY winked at VANESSA. I prefer a sweet muffin myself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everyone has lost track of what day of the week it is and Charity has decided to just see when she wakes up, whether it feels like a school day or not!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Day 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thursday 2nd April 2020.</p><p>Upstairs in their bathroom, at the double sinks and vanity mirrors.</p><p>VANESSA. I know you worry honey, but chemo is going okay. I’m lucky to still be able to go for it, I know a lot of hospitals have had to halt sessions.<br/>
CHARITY. But I’m not able to go with you now.<br/>
VANESSA. I know, but you’re always with me in my head honey. I sit there 2 metres apart from other patients. We’ve all got our masks on, and I just sit there and think of you, and the boys, and all the fun things we’ve done, and are going to do once this madness is over with! At least it’s quieter at the moment, with less people going out.<br/>
CHARITY. True. You’re amazing you are, you do know that don’t you?<br/>
VANESSA. Thanks. I’m just muddling along as best I can. Nothing ever really prepares you for this sort of thing, does it? There’s no dummy run through to ease the worries.<br/>
CHARITY. No, which reminds me. This might make you feel a bit brighter? Chas has suggested a Hype call with her and Eve this morning, do you fancy it?<br/>
VANESSA. Hype?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes?<br/>
VANESSA. It’s called Skype honey.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, well, whatever it’s called. I know you can see each other on screen, that’s all that matters eh, babe? Paddy gets hyper on it, she says, that must be where I got confused with the name….<br/>
VANESSA. Whatever you say babe, ha ha.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, funny, ha. (she winks at Ness) So? Are you up for it?<br/>
VANESSA. In my head I’m always up for it, but my body’s always so tired.<br/>
CHARITY. Not that! Well, not yet anyway. Skyping?<br/>
VANESSA. Touch typing?<br/>
CHARITY. Well, no, we speak, don’t we? Oh, ha. Yes, I see what you did there. Nice to see your wit re emerging babe, good to know you’re feeling better.<br/>
VANESSA smiled. Yeah that would be lovely. Won’t Paddy be with them?<br/>
CHARITY. I think she’s planning on sending him out for a socially distanced walk with Marlon!<br/>
VANESSA. I thought meeting up with friends was still against the guidelines?<br/>
CHARITY. It is, but PC Plod can’t stop you from walking in the same direction as someone you know, so long as you keep 2 metres apart, can they? I think Chas is hoping, if Paddy has to shout to chat with Marlon, he might lose his voice!<br/>
VANESSA. Well then she’ll have to put up with his squeaking! Do you remember last year when he had man-flu? Ha ha ha haa his voice was hilarious!<br/>
CHARITY. If I didn’t know better, I’d think we’d had a personality transplant babe! You’re doing a great ‘me’ impression, ha ha haa!<br/>
VANESSA. A little bit of you has rubbed off on me babe!<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha. Iove it!<br/>
VANESSA reached for CHARITY’s hand and gave it a loving squeeze, as she smiled at her.<br/>
CHARITY. You know how Paddy is a worrier. I think Chas is hoping if he loses his voice, she might get a bit of peace and quiet.<br/>
VANESSA. Bless him. I know he cares and his heart is in the right place, but from working with him all these years, I can understand where Chas is coming from on that score, ha ha!<br/>
CHARITY. So would you like to see them over t’internet?<br/>
VANESSA. Yes babe, thanks, that’d be lovely.<br/>
CHARITY. Great, we’ve got an hour then, as she suggested 11am?<br/>
VANESSA. Okay, great. We’ve got time for a leisurely breakfast before then then.<br/>
CHARITY. What do you fancy?<br/>
VANESSA. You?<br/>
CHARITY. Well, obviously babe, ha ha. But for breakfast?<br/>
VANESSA. What else can you do other than eggy bread?<br/>
CHARITY. Oi! I thought you loved my eggy bread?<br/>
VANESSA. I do honey, I do. It just doesn’t sit very well with me at the moment. How about oatcakes, have we got any in?<br/>
CHARITY. Well I don’t cook those ones Deb sent down from Scotland?<br/>
VANESSA. No, the ones from Staffordshire that David  started getting in the shop?<br/>
CHARITY. Well they’re lovely, but they’re still a bit stodgy will you be okay with them?<br/>
VANESSA. Yeah when you grill them, they get nice and crispy, and then just a thin covering of plant-based spread on it. Mmm, lovely.<br/>
CHARITY. Hark at you, Miss Masterchef, ha ha okay no worries. Your wish is my command, m’lady.<br/>
VANESSA. Does that apply for anything I want?<br/>
CHARITY. Hmm! Mostly babe, Don’t get too used to being waited on. Once you’ve got the all-clear I’m putting my feet up!<br/>
VANESSA smiled and stood on tip-toe to plant a kiss on the lips of her fiancé.</p><p>LATER..<br/>
(They are lounging alongside each other on the sofa in the living room.)</p><p>CHARITY. Oh, my, word, that was hilarious!<br/>
VANESSA. The look on Chas’ face!<br/>
CHARITY. Bless her, little Eve is so darned cute. She looked so shocked when she hiccuped, and then when she looked at Chas as she thought it was her doing it. Ha ha ha haa!<br/>
VANESSA. It was the ‘silent but deadly’ guff that followed, that finished Chas off though, ha ha haa! I’ve never seen someone screw their nose up that tight before!<br/>
CHARITY. Children are like dogs in that respect.<br/>
VANESSA. Come again?!<br/>
CHARITY. You know, the ability to break wind, so as no one hears you, but then end up trapping someone down wind of it, so it flows directly up their nostrils when they’re  trapped behind them!<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, yes. Johnny was a master of them when he was a baby. He always seemed to trap Kirin like that. Oh, sorry-<br/>
CHARITY. What for? You are allowed to talk about exes. I mean I’ve got quite a few myself.<br/>
VANESSA. Have you had any luck finding him yet?<br/>
CHARITY. Not yet. I contacted that private detective I told you about, but then just when he was getting started, lockdown happened worldwide.<br/>
VANESSA. Well that shouldn’t stop him surely? Most of his digging will probably be done online won’t it? Although Kirin might be able to avoid being seen more, now everyone’s staying in I guess.<br/>
CHARITY. That’s true.<br/>
VANESSA. We could do our own digging if you like, it would give me something else to focus on?<br/>
CHARITY. Well I don’t want it to cause you any more stress babe. That’s why I wasn’t sure about telling you when I first found out we’d need his permission.<br/>
VANESSA. So long as you promise that we do it together. No secrets. I won’t fall apart if you tell me ‘bad news’ okay honey?<br/>
CHARITY. Okay babe. I promise. We’ll do it on your terms.<br/>
VANESSA. I’ve always fancied playing a detective. You be Cagney and I’ll be Lacey!<br/>
CHARITY. Did you used to fancy Cagney by any chance?<br/>
VANESSA. Didn’t everyone?!<br/>
CHARITY. Yup! That’s one of the reasons I always wanted to be a blonde!<br/>
VANESSA. What were the other reasons?<br/>
CHARITY. They always have more fun!<br/>
CHARITY winked at VANESSA.<br/>
VANESSA smiled back, nodded, and leant in for a kiss.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Day 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Monday 6th April 2020.</p><p>CHARITY stands at the bottom of the stairs, VANESSA is in the kitchen area at Jacob’s Fold.<br/>
CHARITY shouts up the stairs. Yes Moses, you and Johnny stay up there for another ten minutes tidying up your bedroom please like I showed you, it’s your Maths lesson for today okay? I’ll ring the bell when it’s breaktime.<br/>
VANESSA. What have you got them counting now?<br/>
CHARITY. I wish it were sheep, so they’d go to sleep and let me have a bit of peace for five minutes it’s relentless!<br/>
VANESSA. I’m sorry-<br/>
CHARITY. No, babe. I’m sorry, I wasn’t having a go at you. I am happy to take up the flack, you need your rest. I love them both to bits you know I do, it’s just there’s no break unless they’re watching telly, and I don’t like to do that until they’ve done all their lessons, you know?<br/>
VANESSA. What have you done with my Charity?<br/>
CHARITY. Come again?<br/>
VANESSA. Well, I’m not knocking it, believe me, but well, I just can’t get used to this new school-loving, rule-setter before me!<br/>
CHARITY. Well I’ve got you to thank for that.<br/>
VANESSA. Me?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes babe, you. I love our family unit, and I realise they do need rules and routines, and then they shine, and feel secure and loved.<br/>
VANESSA grinned at her.<br/>
CHARITY. They don’t need to know that I used to stick my fingers up at rules and regulations. I wish I had stayed in school, I love learning new things now.<br/>
VANESSA reached for CHARITY’s hand and squeezed her fingers.<br/>
VANESSA. I had noticed you speed through the crosswords these days!<br/>
CHARITY. Oi cheeky! I’ve always been a dab hand at them. Do you remember that time when you were sat at the bar, and I looked at you and said the answer to one of the clues?<br/>
VANESSA gulped. How could I forget? You looked deep into my eyes and said ‘Arouse’. I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a direction at the time, but there was only you and me in that moment, as cheesy as that sounds, it’s true.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh babe. Come here!<br/>
CHARITY drew VANESSA in for a long slow deep sensuous kiss.<br/>
VANESSA  stumbled back in giddiness and knocked the old-style school bell onto the floor, it landed making half a bell ring and half a loud clatter.<br/>
MOSES called down. Is it breaktime now Mummy?<br/>
VANESSA shouted. Yes Moses, you and Johnny can come down now and have some squash and a biscuit each.<br/>
CHARITY rolled her eyes at VANESSA but she was grinning.</p><p>LATER…<br/>
VANESSA is coming down the stairs, as CHARITY comes in through the front door.<br/>
VANESSA. Charity, ahh I’m glad you’re back.<br/>
CHARITY. Sorry babe. Is everything okay?<br/>
VANESSA. Yes, we’re all fine, the boys are re arranging my sock draw.<br/>
CHARITY. Are they in our bedroom babe?<br/>
VANESSA. Yes, why? I’ve given them strict instructions not to touch anything else.<br/>
CHARITY. It’s just your ‘box of tricks’ isn’t that well hidden for curious little tots?<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, fudge! I didn’t think of that. I’d better go and-<br/>
CHARITY. Well I can’t hear any buzzing, so I don’t think they’ve found anything interesting yet!<br/>
VANESSA. It’s not funny Charity! I only want them to know about cuddly rabbits, thank you!<br/>
CHARITY. Leave them for a minute. Hang on, why are they rearranging your sock draw? They were counting their own socks into pairs earlier.<br/>
VANESSA. It seems you’ve given them a taste for it! So now they wanted to give their rainbow Mummies, rainbow organised clothes! Your suits are in line for their assistance next you know, ha ha.<br/>
CHARITY. I love them dearly, but I don’t want their sticky mitts on my suits, babe! Anyway, I have an idea for my suits, a little project we can do together. Although it might help to get some input from them, but they’ll have to sit on their hands!<br/>
(CHARITY starts unpacking the shopping, passing items to VANESSA who puts them away)<br/>
VANESSA. Was there a big queue to get in the shop? Though, it’s not very big inside either.<br/>
CHARITY. No, I was lucky by the time I got there, the hoards had been and gone. David was just sat behind the till looking frazzled, with his 2 metre ruler hanging over the counter!<br/>
VANESSA. Did you run into anyone at Home Farm when you dropped that book off for Jamie? Not that he deserved it, the way he’s treated Belle and the way he spoke to the both of us in the pub after the quiz!<br/>
CHARITY. Don’t stress yourself babe, he’s not worth it. Do you know what his lazy mare of a mother was doing though?<br/>
VANESSA. Making someone trim their lawn with nail-scissors?<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha. No babe no. Ha ha, you’re a card, I love it!<br/>
VANESSA. What then?<br/>
CHARITY. I heard a mower going, and as I got up the drive I saw it. There was no one running it! It was chugging along doing it all by itself! I mean, that family has more money than sense! Programming the mower to cut the lawn so they don’t have to. Sam could be doing that even, and earning more money.<br/>
VANESSA. Lydia said he’s been furloughed.<br/>
CHARITY. Well, either way it’s still lazy.<br/>
VANESSA. Maybe she had something pressing to do in the house? Like, err, counting all her grey hairs maybe, ha ha!<br/>
CHARITY. She was lounging in a hammock, with her bikini on.<br/>
VANESSA. How close did you get?<br/>
CHARITY.  VANESSA!<br/>
VANESSA. What? I meant how could you tell?<br/>
CHARITY. Well I could see a lot of tanned skin and very little coloured material, so I’m guessing. But frankly I wouldn’t want to see her close up in a bikini.<br/>
VANESSA. Where did you put the book?<br/>
CHARITY. I was tempted to throw it at her, but I didn’t want the poor trees to collapse when the hammock crashed to the floor. I thought I’d have to creep up the gravel, but she had her sunglasses on, and her earphones in so she was oblivious.<br/>
I just dropped it through their letter-box, and left the note from you to Jamie sticking out.<br/>
VANESSA. Thanks honey. If we had a hammock I’d want it in the back garden out of sight of people coming to the house!<br/>
CHARITY. I know, me too. But she was there in direct line with the gate to the driveway on full view for all the world to see.<br/>
VANESSA. I wonder if Ryan knows how to re program things like that mower?<br/>
CHARITY. Why, what did you have in mind babe?<br/>
VANESSA. Oh I’m not sure, I’d have to give it more thought, ha ha. But maybe have it only work by voice recognition or something, but tell her she has to sing to it to make it work!<br/>
CHARITY. Nice idea but I can’t see her falling for that babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Shame. How is Ryan by the way?<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, he’s been happy to stay at home apparently, he’s fine. I chatted to him the other day and he was talking about lots of computer things he was doing. Most of it went over my head, but it sounds like he’s keeping himself out of mischief anyway, so that’s good.<br/>
VANESSA. So, what’s this idea you’ve got for your suits then?<br/>
CHARITY. Well-<br/>
JOHNNY shouted from upstairs. Mummy! Why does this rabbit shake? Mummy?<br/>
VANESSA looked wide eyed and panicky, and CHARITY  laughed as VANESSA took the stairs two at a time and shouted to the boys “No! Johnny! No, no, what are you doing darling?”<br/>
--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Day 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Saturday 11th April 2020.</p><p>CHARITY and VANESSA are sat at their breakfast table, Charity is looking at her laptop screen.<br/>
VANESSA. Thank you for doing this for me honey.<br/>
CHARITY. Well the sooner we find ‘baby daddy’ the sooner we can make-<br/>
VANESSA putting on a booming voice. “Who’s the daddy?”<br/>
CHARITY. “I’m the daddy!” yep, that, more official.<br/>
VANESSA. We’ve found out more about Kirin these last couple weeks than that private investigator did. I wonder if any of them are legit.<br/>
CHARITY. I’m sorry about him babe, his website looked sound.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, I wasn’t having a go. I’m glad we’ve given him the heave-ho though.<br/>
CHARITY. You are sure about that? He might’ve had more access to information than we could ever glean.<br/>
VANESSA. When did Cagney and Lacey ever fail?<br/>
CHARITY. True, but that was fiction, babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Ha, some might say we are too honey, but we’ve got their grit and determination and ability to use our wily ways to hunt out the truth, haven’t we?<br/>
CHARITY. Have you been staying up late to watch the American cop dramas again babe?<br/>
VANESSA smiled. Possibly. Possibly not! Anyway, enough of that for now, how’s Ryan got on with doing that website for us?<br/>
CHARITY. I’m just having a look now….oh wow, look babe, this is brilliant. Oh, he’s a star.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, hang on I just need the loo.<br/>
CHARITY. Are you okay babe? Can I get you anything?<br/>
VANESSA. I only need a wee, I won’t be a moment, but maybe we could sit on the sofa to look at the website? These chairs make my bum go numb after a while.<br/>
CHARITY. Me too babe, I know what you mean, we should get more cushions for them. Okay, I’m moving over, I’ll just give him a quick call.<br/>
--<br/>
VANESSA joins CHARITY  on the sofa.</p><p>VANESSA. What did Ryan say his payment terms were?<br/>
CHARITY. He says it’s his lockdown pressie to his favourite mums!<br/>
VANESSA. Was Irene at home?<br/>
CHARITY. No, I think she was out shopping that was why he dared to say it, ha.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, it looks brilliant, he is such a star. And so clever of you coming up with the idea.<br/>
CHARITY. It was Sarah’s idea really. Well she told me about some instagrammer or other doing something similar.<br/>
VANESSA. I know how much you love your jackets though, so it was really selfless of you to let the boys choose which ones to sell.<br/>
CHARITY. Anything for you babe.<br/>
CHARITY kissed VANESSA on the end of her nose, and smiled.<br/>
CHARITY. I can always buy them again can’t I? (she winked at Ness and laughed)<br/>
VANESSA. The boys were brilliant, and so funny nodding their heads to show which ones to pick, when you made them sit on their hands ha ha! They loved your fashion show strut! Which reminds me I thought we were going to film you doing that, to put on the website?<br/>
CHARITY. Well I had another idea actually-<br/>
VANESSA. Go on-<br/>
CHARITY. Well the public aren’t going to want to buy something I’ve worn, are they?<br/>
VANESSA. Why ever not?<br/>
CHARITY. Well I don’t have a huge amount of friends’ here do I? The villagers only warm to me a bit more now, because of you babe.<br/>
VANESSA. So?<br/>
CHARITY. So, I wondered if you would model them for us?<br/>
VANESSA. And record me strutting and put it on the website?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes. With it being Pride month soon, I’m sure there are many lesbians of Hotten and its surrounds, who would love to wear something their local lesbian vet had had on?<br/>
VANESSA. Are you using me just to make more money from this Charity?<br/>
CHARITY. Me? Would I? babe.<br/>
VANESSA smiled. It’s okay, I’m only messing, I’d love to do it. We should get Tracey to remotely be the compere.<br/>
CHARITY. We should. You will? Oh, that’s fabulous! We might raise more than that raffle I put myself up as a prize for, for the local LGBT social group then eh.<br/>
VANESSA. This is so so lovely of you to think about raising money for the chemo ward though. Everyone there is so friendly and helpful. It will be great we can give something back to their hardworking staff and cheer my fellow patients up too.<br/>
CHARITY. I wasn’t sure, but I hoped it would make you smile, and give you something else to focus on.<br/>
VANESSA. I love it Charity, and I love you. Come here babe.<br/>
CHARITY. That’s my line, ha ha!<br/>
VANESSA laughed, and tickled CHARITY  in her weak spot down her sides.<br/>
CHARITY. Okay okay I surrender! You can say it too babe. Come here.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Charity's line about her putting herself up as a prize for a local LGBT raffle, was a reference to part of the story, of another #Vanity fic of mine "Competition Prize"; which you can find by clicking under my handle 'SLTventures' on any chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Day 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This fic will continue on and cover the 3 months of lockdown for Charity &amp; Vanessa. Think of it as an extended episode, #Vanity special !</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Monday 27th April 2020.</p><p>CHARITY and VANESSA are sat up in bed, the laptop between them, being careful not to spill their morning cuppas, that the boys helped Charity make in the kitchen.</p><p>CHARITY. Oh babe, it was so sweet. Both of them wanted to hold my hand while we brought your cuppa up. We compromised though. Moses held my hand first while we carried my cuppa over to the bottom of the stairs, he kissed my thumb bless him, then went to sit and watch telly in the living room. Johnny waited by your cuppa til I came back to him, then he copied all Moses did, and then toddled over to Moses and climbed up onto the sofa to join him, and watch telly.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh hun, that is so sweet, wish I had come downstairs now.<br/>
CHARITY. Well, I’m still supposed to be waiting on you, aren’t I babe?<br/>
VANESSA. It’s lovely, but you don’t have to do it all day every day, you know, I will let you have breaks now and then, for good behaviour, ha ha.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, will you now, now you tell me! Ha ha. To be honest though I need a cuppa with some tan on it first thing in the morning babe, sets me up for the day better you know? (she winked at Ness)<br/>
VANESSA. I know. Just because I like to rinse the teabags in the water, not dunk them,  tut tut! Biscuits are for dunking, not bags, ha ha.<br/>
CHARITY. Err no, but I agree about the biscuits, babe. I’ve heard dunking buttered toast in tea is really nice too.<br/>
VANESSA pulled a face. Won’t that make the toast soggy? May as well just dunk bread in, in that case.<br/>
CHARITY. Apparently, it just makes it nicely moist and the butter adds flavour to the tea.<br/>
VANESSA. Say that again.<br/>
CHARITY. What?<br/>
VANESSA. Moist.<br/>
CHARITY. Moy-ist<br/>
VANESSA. So many connotations for that word aren’t there? And yet the more you say it the weirder it sounds-<br/>
CHARITY. Babe-<br/>
VANESSA. What?<br/>
CHARITY. Have you taken the thesaurus as bedtime reading again?<br/>
VANESSA. Possibly.<br/>
CHARITY. Babe! I wondered where that had gone when I was trying to go a trickier crossword yesterday!</p><p>CHARITY jokingly tutted, and rolled her eyes but was smiling.</p><p>VANESSA. So, come on, you haven’t told me how much we’ve raised yet?<br/>
CHARITY. All in good time babe. I want to watch your fashion parade again first. I can’t stop watching it, it’s mesmerising.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, ha ha, stop taking the mick.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, babe, I’m not, honest. I love watching you strut your stuff around our makeshift catwalk. Granted it does make me howl every time, that bit at the end, that Ryan forgot to edit out! Ha ha ha haa<br/>
VANESSA. Are you sure he forgot? Or did you pay him to keep it in?<br/>
CHARITY. Moi? As if I would, ha haa. I think it helped everyone bid more to be honest. Everyone loves an outtake, don’t they?<br/>
VANESSA pretended to look put out and folded her arms.<br/>
CHARITY. And think of all those sad faces you’ve made happy? Babe? You’re a star. Come here.</p><p>CHARITY leant over and pecked VANESSA on the lips.</p><p>CHARITY. I always thought I had lots of rainbow coloured clothes til we started sorting through them. It turns out you wear brighter colours than me, who knew?<br/>
VANESSA. Me for one! I love your jackets, but they are mostly in Autumnal colours hun.<br/>
CHARITY. It’s not a conscious thing, but that is my preferred time of year, nature produces some wonderful colour shades in the Fall.<br/>
VANESSA. I agree with you there, but at Uni everyone kept saying what a colourful character I was, so I started wearing bright colours. Thought I would own it, rather than taking it as a slur on the way I was.<br/>
CHARITY. I don’t think they’d have meant it as a slur, surely? I can’t imagine anyone saying anything bad about my ‘tiny blonde rocket woman’. Everyone loves you, don’t they?<br/>
VANESSA. I don’t know. I don’t care anymore. If there’s one thing being in my forties has shown me, it’s that ‘those that mind, don’t matter; and those that matter, don’t mind’. When I first heard that phrase it certainly freed me up to being myself.<br/>
CHARITY. My idea originally was to have a good sort out of my tops and jackets and get rid of some of the more garish ones. But the boys were dead set on them having to be in Pride rainbow colours, it’s just as well you had some to add babe.<br/>
VANESSA. I loved that red jumper, but it is for a good cause. And you’ve let go things of yours you loved too, so it was only fair.<br/>
CHARITY. Yeah I’ve only got that flecked red cardi or that long red dress I wore when Kim took a tumble. Do you remember that night?<br/>
VANESSA. Yes I do, I gave a statement to get you out of jail free!<br/>
CHARITY. This is real life you know Vanessa, not Monopoly.<br/>
VANESSA. Yeah I know, I got a bit carried away didn’t I. But I didn’t know what else to do at the time.<br/>
CHARITY. You were lucky not to get caught out. But I did appreciate it, babe. You ready to watch the video?<br/>
VANESSA. Yep, I’ll put my cuppa down and snuggle up to you hun.</p><p>CHARITY put her mug down, and wriggled over to meet VANESSA in the middle of the bed.</p><p>VANESSA. Getting the boys to colour a rainbow zebra crossing onto lots of pieces of paper, was a genius idea of Tracey’s, for our living room catwalk.<br/>
CHARITY. Johnny wanted to colour the path outside in chalks til I said it wasn’t a good idea for you to be outside stood up for long. Plus really I didn’t want the neighbours rubber-necking and coughing near us.<br/>
VANESSA. Aww that was sweet of him, we’ll have to see if there’s anywhere we can go for a walk and they can use their chalks on the path.<br/>
CHARITY. Vanessa the Vandal! Never thought I would see the day ha ha!<br/>
VANESSA. Oi! You know what I mean, somewhere they can make nice pictures, and not ruin the look of the area. They are environmentally friendly chalks and they wash off again easily.<br/>
CHARITY. I know babe, sorry, I’m only messing.</p><p>They watched the video of VANESSA strutting her stuff for a minute or so in companionable silence.</p><p>CHARITY. We should swop clothes more often though, as you look mighty hot in my orange blouse, and my dark blue one, in this catwalk, babe.<br/>
VANESSA. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear anything purple though hun? That’s one colour neither of us seems to wear?<br/>
CHARITY. Yeah, but in a certain light that dark blue blouse can look purple, and Ryan was crafty in his description of it and the way we filmed you, so it could be worn as blue or purple in different lights.<br/>
VANESSA. Well it gave people an option didn’t it as you gave away your dark pink jacket as well, as we didn’t have a purple.<br/>
CHARITY. Yeah, you’ve got a pale pink jacket, that’s why I kept my pale one. We could dress alike one day and see how long it takes for someone to start pointing it out. You know that lesbian trope that we all dress alike in couples!<br/>
VANESSA. I can’t see anyone ever getting us two mixed up, hun. Not unless I had shoes with a foot in height heel!<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha yeah. I hope my latest knaki green jacket sells well though, that’s my favourite. Well that and the green shirt I tend to wear under it, I wasn’t giving that up for the auction as well though.<br/>
VANESSA. I love my yellow jumper too, but the ladies do seem to like me in yellow so I was prepared to sacrifice it, in order to let it go to the highest bidder!<br/>
CHARITY. Oh they do do they? And how do you know that babe?<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, just a few comments my lesbian mates in Hotten have overheard hun. As you said this local lesbian vet does have quite a few fans out there in the neighbouring surrounds, I’ll have you know. Ha ha. I only have eyes for you though hun.<br/>
CHARITY beamed as VANESSA planted a kiss on her lips.<br/>
CHARITY. Another genius idea of Tracey’s wasn’t it, to put my marigolds up for sale as well, ha ha. I think they’d make a mint if they sold all the Pride colours in June every year. The broadsheets are always talking about the pink pound. I’m surprised no one has jumped on the bandwagon there babe eh?<br/>
VANESSA. Yeah it’s a shame you’ve only got green and yellow ones, oh and the pink ones. But we both signed all the pairs didn’t we, so they should get snapped up really quick. We made sure they were deep-cleaned first, and then hermetically sealed in those compost-friendly clean pouches you found on Artemis?<br/>
CHARITY. Well it’s just as well we sold them in pairs or else I could see all the ones you’d signed being grabbed quick, but I’m not sure who wants the signature of the pub landlady. But yes it’s all for a good cause, so I don’t mind what I sign if it helps a bit.<br/>
VANESSA. I think I might employ Tracey to introduce me at the vets this way, or anywhere I go frankly, I’m not sure my head will fit through the doorway again, after she’s bigged me up so much. It’s hilarious her commentary, I love it.<br/>
CHARITY. How’s Paddy getting on with the Virtual Vets idea?<br/>
VANESSA. I  think he’s asked Ryan for some expert web building help on that one.<br/>
CHARITY. Paid?<br/>
VANESSA. Yeah we’ve got a bit in the pot for advertising, we don’t expect a freebie, just because he’s family.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, babe. I love you. I can’t wait to see Virtual Miss Woodfield at her desk waiting for customers.<br/>
VANESSA. We don’t have any pets hun?<br/>
CHARITY. I’m sure I could find my ‘frisky heffer’ again for you though babe?<br/>
VANESSA. Ha ha. It will be good to get back to some kind of work again though.<br/>
CHARITY. So long as you don’t overdo it that’s all I ask.<br/>
VANESSA. I can stay in my pjs and do it from here hun, but I need to feel useful again. My body’s the bit that’s a bit tired, not my brain.<br/>
CHARITY looked concerned.<br/>
VANESSA. But yes, I won’t overdo it babe, don’t worry. Thank you for caring so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you, I love you so much. You do know that don’t you?<br/>
CHARITY. I do, I really do.</p><p>VANESSA took a deep breath. So, how much have we raised then?<br/>
CHARITY. Well, the Pride 2020 #auction ended an hour ago, so I should be able to see the total, if I go, aha, here, that’s it. Are you ready, drum roll please?<br/>
VANESSA quickly tapped her forefingers against the edge of the laptop, while looking hopefully at CHARITY.<br/>
CHARITY. It’s-<br/>
VANESSA. What?<br/>
CHARITY. Oh bumfluff! The wifi’s gone again!<br/>
--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Day 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Saturday 2nd May 2020.</p><p>VANESSA is having a bubble bath. CHARITY comes rushing up the stairs.<br/>
CHARITY. Are you nearly done in there, babe?<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, oh sorry I must have nodded off, I haven’t washed yet.<br/>
CHARITY. That’s okay, it’s just I’m busting for the loo babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Well you can come in hun, the door isn’t locked. It’s not like you haven’t seen me in the bath before. Do you remember in the early days, when we-<br/>
CHARITY burst in through the bathroom door.<br/>
CHARITY. Avert your eyes!<br/>
VANESSA. Isn’t that what I should be saying? I’m the one with least on ha ha.<br/>
CHARITY. Ahh what a relief, that’s better. I thought I was going to have to whizz out the back if you’d locked the door.<br/>
VANESSA. Ha ha ha. I was hoping you might wash my back for me, anyway?<br/>
CHARITY winked. Just your back?<br/>
VANESSA smiled. Well I didn’t know if you’d got changed yet. This corner bath is quite lonely on my own-<br/>
CHARITY. I don’t want to tire you out, and we’ll have to be quiet as the kids are asleep, but if you’re sure?<br/>
VANESSA grinned, and started softly singing to a well-known tune. “Da da dah, da da da daa, da da daa, da da, da daah, da-“<br/>
CHARITY whipped open her dressing gown and said. Wooh! Ha ha ha. Avert your eyes!<br/>
VANESSA. No chance! Gerrit off and get in ere hun!</p><p>30 MINS LATER…<br/>
CHARITY. Ness, babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Uh, what?<br/>
CHARITY. You fell asleep in my arms.<br/>
VANESSA. There’s nowhere I’d rather be, frankly.<br/>
CHARITY smiled. Ordinarily, me either, but the bath water’s going cold and we’re starting to shrivel up babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, you say the sweetest things hun, ha ha, okay help me up, would you?<br/>
CHARITY gave VANESSA a gentle push while supporting her at the same time to get up, and then step out of the bath, then CHARITY followed.<br/>
CHARITY turned around to see VANESSA had wrapped herself at one end of one of their extra-large fluffy bath towels, and was holding the other end open to wrap around CHARITY.<br/>
CHARITY. Mmm thanks babe, ready?<br/>
VANESSA nodded. They both laughed as they rolled the towel around them, and gently bumped chests as they met in the middle.<br/>
VANESSA. I thought these towels were going to be far to big when you suggested ordering them, but now I see there was method in your madness. Thank you.<br/>
CHARITY slid her hands through VANESSA’s hair from the back of her neck, upwards.<br/>
VANESSA wrapped her arms around CHARITY’s neck, and stroked around the back of her ears, with her thumb and forefingers.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, babe. Mmm. Don’t get me started again-<br/>
TRACEY called from downstairs. Are you guys decent?<br/>
CHARITY. Seriously? Your sister’s timing babe!<br/>
VANESSA winked. Better now, than half an hour ago though hun.<br/>
CHARITY. She can’t come in the house though. Hang on, is your phone in here?<br/>
VANESSA waddled towards where she’d put her phone on the shelf near the bath.<br/>
CHARITY. Aaghh!<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, she’s ringing, good.<br/>
CHARITY caught up with VANESSA having been pulled over with her.<br/>
VANESSA. “Where are you Tracey? You haven’t come in have you?....oh…you leant through the window….okay that’s fine……where are we?......we’re just in the bathroom getting ready…..oh…..have you?.....oh….did she now….okay, yes thanks hun, yes just leave them by the back door and we’ll be down in a jiffy to bring it in…..thanks hun, you’re a star, thanks, have a good evening, love you…..bye”<br/>
CHARITY looked expectedly, yet sheepishly at VANESSA.<br/>
CHARITY. What?<br/>
VANESSA. Apparently, the dinner you ordered is waiting for us outside the back door!<br/>
CHARITY. Well you know my cooking’s not up to scratch for a three course dinner now is it babe?....I know, I know you can’t eat as much at the moment as you used to, but I still wanted tonight to be a special dinner for you.<br/>
VANESSA. Just being with you uninterrupted for a whole evening is special, hun.<br/>
CHARITY. I know babe, but I wanted to do something special for you. We’ve not had a date night for ages, and lockdown makes it harder to do anything special. I’m going to do everything else for you babe, Tracey wanted to help out, as she didn’t want to buy any of our clothes in the auction she said. Cheeky mare! Ha ha.<br/>
VANESSA. Did you manage to make your surprise ice cream?<br/>
CHARITY. Aww babe, how did you know, now it’s not a surprise for you ha ha ha.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh you! You told me you daft egg.<br/>
CHARITY. I did indeed. Wait and see babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Have you laid out the outfit you wanted me to wear?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes, it’s alongside the one you put out for me. You’ve chosen pretty much what I thought of wearing anyway, how did you know?<br/>
VANESSA grinned. Possibly because I have told you on many occasions how hot you look in it?<br/>
CHARITY grinned. Ah, yes. That might have had some bearing on it.<br/>
VANESSA. Shall we unroll in here? Or do you want to waddle with me to the bedroom?<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha. Oh you say the sweetest things to me babe.<br/>
VANESSA. It’s probably safer that we unroll in here first, I guess?<br/>
CHARITY. Sadly, yes, I don’t want Moses and Johnny to find their Mummy’s in a heap at the bottom of the stairs impersonating Mummies.<br/>
VANESSA. Okay, give us a kiss first.<br/>
*MWAH* as their lips met across a steamy bathroom.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Day 54</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Saturday 16th May 2020.</p><p>VANESSA is lounging on the sofa reading a story to their boys who’re cuddled up either side of her. CHARITY comes in through the back door.<br/>
CHARITY. Are my little soldiers ready? Have you got sun cream on? And your sunglasses and hats ready? Because it’s very sunny outside.<br/>
JOHNNY scrambled off the sofa, and saluted her. Yes, Mummy Charity, my arm!<br/>
CHARITY. Ma’am, Johnny.<br/>
JOHNNY. Ma arm?<br/>
CHARITY. Near enough. Moses?<br/>
MOSES gave VANESSA  a peck on the cheek, then scrambled off the sofa and stood alongside JOHNNY.<br/>
MOSES saluted her. Yes, Mummy, mam ham!<br/>
CHARITY. Ma’am, Moses.<br/>
MOSES. My am?<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha ha. Near enough Moses. Ness?<br/>
VANESSA got up carefully off the sofa, turned to face CHARITY saluted her and then winked.<br/>
CHARITY. Is my big brave soldier ready?<br/>
VANESSA. Yes hun I think so. Do I need to bring anything else outside?<br/>
CHARITY. Just your gorgeous self, babe.<br/>
MOSES. And me!<br/>
CHARITY. Yes, bring your gorgeous self too babe.<br/>
JOHNNY. And me?<br/>
VANESSA. Of course my little gorgeous munchkin.<br/>
VANESSA spread her arms around their boys and gave them a squeeze, then before they could escape, she started tickling them.<br/>
JOHNNY and MOSES together. Ha ha ha ha haaa, nooo, mummy, stop it, ha ha ha ha.<br/>
CHARITY opened the back door and the boys took their chance to escape.<br/>
CHARITY. Hang on  boys. Just wait outside the door, and keep your eyes shut tight a moment.<br/>
The boys did as CHARITY  asked, but MOSES  kept peeking out of one eye.<br/>
CHARITY grinned at VANESSA  who couldn’t help but smile back.<br/>
CHARITY. Close your eyes babe.<br/>
She took VANESSA’s hand, and led her out the back door. She moved her so she was stood next to the boys.<br/>
CHARITY. Okay, I’m going to count to three, then you can all look. One, two, four, surprise!<br/>
She gestured towards the lawn with her arms open wide. Silence. She looked back at Ness and the boys to see they all still had their eyes shut tight!<br/>
CHARITY. Three!<br/>
VANESSA opened her eyes. Oh! babe! Oh this is so lovely, oh, oh (sob), (sniff)<br/>
CHARITY. Oh no! babe! Don’t cry, do you not….what don’t you like?...I can change it back again, babe?<br/>
VANESSA. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry. They are happy tears. There’s nothing wrong hun. I love it, I love all of it, and I love you. Thank you, babe so much for going to all this trouble for me and our boys. It’s fabulous, you little star!<br/>
VANESSA cupped CHARITY’s face and planted a soft lingering kiss on her lips; then reluctantly pulled away.<br/>
VANESSA. What do you think boys? Isn’t Mummy Charity amazing?<br/>
JOHNNY and MOSES were jumping up and down on the spot, their eyes wide looking at everything and grinning from ear to ear.<br/>
CHARITY. Right, boys, do you remember the rules I said?<br/>
MOSES. Yes, Mummy. We must use the hand sanditiser before we play on anything-<br/>
CHARITY. And..?<br/>
JOHNNY. And play gently with Mummy-<br/>
MOSES. Ness.<br/>
CHARITY. Yes! Well done boys. Okay, here’s a squirt of the hand gel, rub it all over your hands really well, like I’m doing with mine, that’s it. Now, ready, steady……go!<br/>
The boys shot off in different directions around their new playzone, and quickly got stuck into having fun.<br/>
VANESSA. Wow!<br/>
CHARITY. What?<br/>
VANESSA. I’ve never seen them so restrained before. How do you do it?<br/>
CHARITY. I’ve trained them well babe. It’s taken a long long time believe me, but with home-schooling and everything, they really listen to me now. I’m not just ‘silly mummy’ anymore.<br/>
VANESSA grinned at her.<br/>
CHARITY. And I love that.<br/>
VANESSA. I love that too. And you.<br/>
CHARITY. Come here.</p><p>1 hour later..<br/>
Over at the garden bar.<br/>
MOSES. Mummy, can I have a mocktail please?<br/>
CHARITY. Which would you like darling?<br/>
MOSES stood on tiptoe to see what drinks were behind the bar.<br/>
CHARITY. We have strawberry surprise, lanky lemon, blackcurrant boogie, orange org-<br/>
VANESSA. Ahem!<br/>
CHARITY. Orange origami, Lime limbo, or Blueberry bongos?<br/>
MOSES. Erm…what’s lanky?<br/>
CHARITY. It’s what your Uncle Marlon is, babe.<br/>
MOSES. Tall and funny?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes, almost.<br/>
VANESSA.  Could I have another orange org-<br/>
CHARITY. Origami, yes babe. I’ll give you as many of those as you can handle.<br/>
VANESSA looked up from their new free-standing double rainbow hammock, and CHARITY winked at her.<br/>
VANESSA grinned, gave her a thumbs up, and went back to reading her book.<br/>
CHARITY. So, what’s it to be babe? How about a blackcurrant boogie?<br/>
CHARITY wiggled her hips and made MOSES laugh.<br/>
CHARITY. Or how about the blueberry bongos?<br/>
She drummed her forefingers on the edge of the bar.<br/>
MOSES. Ha ha ha Mummy!<br/>
CHARITY. Sorry babe, I’ll be serious. What mocktail would you like sir?<br/>
MOSES looked around the garden. Erm. Jayjay?<br/>
CHARITY called over. Johnny? Moyo here, wants to buy you a drink little man.<br/>
MOSES. He gave me chewies to spend on both of us.<br/>
CHARITY. Oh, that’ll be Mummy Ness’ lovely influence. How much did he give you to spend at the bar?<br/>
MOSES. I’ve got a full pack of chewies, what can we get for that?<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha, I wonder where you get this bargaining from, ha ha, babe, I love you. Well, all the mocktails cost the same, they are 4 chewies each. And if you want crisps, they cost 6 chewies each.<br/>
MOSES. Oh.<br/>
CHARITY. You get 14 chewies in a pack, so you’ve enough there for two mocktails and one packet of crisps to share between you.<br/>
JOHNNY toddled over to join MOSES at the bar.<br/>
JOHNNY. Haven’t you chosen yet?<br/>
MOSES. Sowry.<br/>
CHARITY. Now come on boys, cheer up, don’t fall out. Look you have enough there for a drink each okay?<br/>
JOHNNY. Okay, can I have a strawberry surprise please Mummy Charity?<br/>
CHARITY. Of course you can babe. One coming right up.<br/>
MOSES. What’s the surprise?<br/>
CHARITY. It’s raspberry!<br/>
JOHNNY. That’s my favourite!<br/>
CHARITY. I know babe, that’s why I made it.<br/>
MOSES. Why did you choose strawberry then?<br/>
JOHNNY. That’s my second favourite fruit.<br/>
MOSES. Oh. Can I have a lime limbo please Mummy?<br/>
CHARITY. Of course you can babe. One coming right up, and there’s a free game that comes with this one.<br/>
JOHNNY. Oh, don’t I get a game?<br/>
CHARITY. You can both do the game, boys. You have to limbo under that 2 metre stick, which my lovely assistant Mummy Ness will hold up for us, and then you can have your drinks.<br/>
MOSES and JOHNNY  grinned at each other, and waited for VANESSA to come over to them with the 2 metre stick.</p><p> </p><p>15 minutes later…<br/>
CHARITY split a packet of plain crisps into two small bowls and gave one each to the boys. They settled on their new tots-sized picnic table with their drinks. CHARITY joined VANESSA on the double hammock, keeping the boys in view.<br/>
VANESSA. Thanks hun, this is all brilliant. How did you come up with all the ideas?<br/>
CHARITY. It’s not just crosswords that this brain of mine is good for you know, babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh no, I didn’t mean-<br/>
CHARITY. I know, I’m only joking babe. The wonders of the world wide web, basically, I just looked on that webtrawler search engine, and noted down some ideas.<br/>
VANESSA. I love these woven fences, just tall enough to keep prying eyes out when we’re lying low.<br/>
CHARITY. I know, they’re great, they interlock too. Who’d have thought it? Uncle Zak would love that, rather than having to hammer everything into the ground.<br/>
VANESSA. How are all the crowd up there? Is Noah behaving?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes, Debs says he washes up after dinner most nights, and empties the bins each week. Says he wants to start cooking the dinner, if she doesn’t mind.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh, is he going to take after Marlon do you think?<br/>
CHARITY. Head Chef at a top-notch hotel in the Highlands, I can see it now.<br/>
VANESSA. What, Marlon?<br/>
CHARITY. No babe, our Noah. He can be anything he wants to be though, I’m happy so long as he’s happy.<br/>
VANESSA looked over at their tots.<br/>
VANESSA. Johnny don’t rush your crisps hun we don’t want them to get stuck now do we? Good boy. Oh-<br/>
CHARITY. What?<br/>
VANESSA. What’s that dark pink buggy doing on the corner of our grass? Has someone left it there do you reckon? I’ve not seen any of the kids in the village pushing a doll along in it?<br/>
CHARITY. Oh no, that’s one of my props.<br/>
VANESSA. Your props?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes babe.<br/>
VANESSA. Are you planning on putting on a show later? Have you got punch and judy? It was great when you did that last year….well apart from your bit about the blonde vet!<br/>
CHARITY. Great idea babe, but no.<br/>
VANESSA. Why isn’t it inside our fencing if you bought it? I’m all for boys playing with pink things, and girls playing with blue things, but ours still aren’t really into dollies though, are they?<br/>
CHARITY. No babe. It’s a traffic calming prop.<br/>
VANESSA. It is?<br/>
CHARITY. Yes. You face it towards the traffic, then as they come around that corner they see it and slow down, thinking there might be a child in the buggy that could run into the road at any minute!<br/>
VANESSA. Oh babe, that’s slightly creepy and yet beautiful that you thought about that since this garden’s on a corner plot.<br/>
CHARITY. Well the fencing helps keep the riff-raff out, but I thought it was just something extra you know? As folk are used to just seeing our clothes line out here and nothing on the grass. Thought it was better to be safe, than sorry, even if there isnt much traffic about at the moment.<br/>
VANESSA. Oh yes, definitely, thank you babe, so much. I do love you.<br/>
*TOOT TOOT* sounded a tractor horn approaching the corner having just come past the front of their house.<br/>
CHARITY. Ha ha, I couldn’t have timed that better myself. There hasn’t been any traffic past here all day.<br/>
The sound of the tractor got louder as it got nearer them.<br/>
VANESSA sat up, perched on the edge of the hammock.<br/>
*TOOT TOOT*<br/>
VANESSA waved back to the tractor driver as he went past and called out: Hi Dave!<br/>
CHARITY. Ah it’s our space man, bless him. Good to see him dressed as a farmer today.<br/>
VANESSA. Ha ha, oh you!<br/>
CHARITY. That was some proposal you gave me earlier in the year babe. I loved it, and I love you. Come here.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dave the tractor driver, spaceman, and proposal that Charity mentions at the end of this chapter is a reference to part of the story in my #Vanity fanfic  'Emdale Panto 2019' which you'll find under my handle name here on this site. It's another fun story, but I might be biased!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Day 82</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Saturday 13th June 2020.</p><p>In the living room at Jacob’s Fold.</p><p>TRACY. Boys! You’re wearing me out babes, it’s been ages since I’ve done any running around. I have missed you though, so much. Have you missed me?<br/>JOHNNY. Yes, Auntie Tracy, except we get to pick what film we watch, more when you’re not here.<br/>VANESSA.  Johnny! That’s not a very nice thing to say to your Auntie Tracy, hun.<br/>JOHNNY.  Sorry Mummy. But it’s true, when Auntie Tracy sits with us to watch a film, she wants to pick a different one each time.<br/>MOSES.  Yeah.<br/>VANESSA. Oh. ha ha. Well that’s because grown-ups don’t like to watch the same film over and over and over and over again Johnny!<br/>MOSES. But you and Mummy watch that film with all the ladies in their underwear all the time Mummy Ness.<br/>TRACY raised her eyebrows and smirked at VANESSA.<br/>VANESSA. No, no, Tracey it’s not the sort of film you’re thinking of. I know what Moses is on about.<br/>TRACY. Do tell, I’m intrigued, ha ha.<br/>CHARITY. We’ll tell you later, when these rascals have gone to sleep. How did you know we watch that a lot Moses anyway? We keep the sound low.<br/>MOSES. I heard you whispering about it to Mummy Ness the other day.<br/>CHARITY. Oh! I must remember these walls have ears, eh babe.<br/>VANESSA. Yes more than we thought, hun.<br/>MOSES. Only people and animals have ears, everyone knows that!<br/>CHARITY. That’s enough cheek from you son, thank you! Now can you go and get your pj’s on, brush your teeth, and then Auntie Tracy might come up and read you a bedtime story?<br/>TRACY. Yes, I will Moses.<br/>VANESSA. You too, Johnny. But only if you say sorry to Auntie Tracy and give her a big hug now, okay?<br/>JOHNNY. Okay. Sorry Mummy.<br/>JOHNNY toddled over to TRACY and gave her a big cuddle.<br/>JOHNNY. Sorry Auntie Tracy, I have missed you, lots and lots and lots and lots.<br/>TRACY grinned at JOHNNY.<br/>TRACY. That’s okay then, thank you Johnny. Off you go, and get your pjs on then, then I’ll come up and read to you both. You can pick the story! I haven’t read any of them for a while now, ha ha.<br/>CHARITY. Sorry babes. I don’t know where Moses gets his cheek from sometimes.<br/>VANESSA looked at TRACY.<br/>CHARITY. What? Oh yeah okay, ha ha, me. But he used to be the one kid who was nice to me.<br/>VANESSA. He still is, he’s just more cheeky when we’re in company. Kids do that, just to be annoying! Johnny is doing it just as much, it’ll probably be better when they’re not cooped up with us so much, once lockdown eases off some more. All they hear at the moment really are the things we say.<br/>CHARITY. True, babes, thanks.<br/>VANESSA. What for?<br/>CHARITY. We’re a good parenting team aren’t we?<br/>VANESSA. We are hun.<br/>CHARITY. I love you so much.<br/>VANESSA. Me too hun.<br/>TRACY. Do you guys want to get a room?<br/>VANESSA. Sorry hun, we’ve been so used to it just being the four of us here for so long now.<br/>TRACY. Thanks! Not you as well, no wonder the boys are picking up on what you say!<br/>VANESSA. Oh hun, I’m sorry, ha ha. Come here, give us a big hug. I’ve missed you loads. So glad we could form our ‘social bubble’ with you.<br/>CHARITY. Well strictly speaking one of the households in the bubble should be living on their own-<br/>TRACY. Well I practically have been, my so called housemates are never there!</p><p>30 minutes later<br/>VANESSA and CHARITY bring snacks to the table by the sofa, as TRACY comes down the stairs.<br/>TRACY. Aww they were asleep before I’d barely left the room, bless em. I have missed them and you guys, even you Charity.<br/>TRACY smiled at CHARITY.<br/>CHARITY. Oh ha ha, do you want a hug?<br/>TRACY. Maybe later when we’ve had some wine eh.<br/>CHARITY. Oh you’re all heart you eh, ha ha.</p><p>VANESSA settled on the sofa, and waved CHARITY  and TRACY over to sit either side of her.<br/>VANESSA. So, come on then fill us in on all the gossip!<br/>TRACY. What gossip? I’ve barely left the house, same as you.<br/>VANESSA. Haven’t you been seeing wonderboy?<br/>CHARITY. He’s not a horse babe, although maybe he is well-<br/>VANESSA. Don’t go there, I don’t want to think about that thanks hun<br/>CHARITY. Ha ha ha. Tracy?<br/>TRACY, No, he’s been holed up at the farm. He’s been kept busy with all the animals. Says the only thing he’s missing is me and going to the pub.<br/>CHARITY. Well, at least he said it in that order.<br/>TRACY. Well he didn’t actually, but I did tell him off for that.<br/>CHARITY. Oh babe, don’t waste your time on another lamb chop like him, if he doesn’t realise what a catch he’s got in you, he’s not worth the effort.<br/>VANESSA. Are you hitting on my sister hun?<br/>CHARITY. Oh ha ha. You know what I mean. Plus he is kinda my ex step son in a round about way; my second cousin, and now a potential brother in law and that’s all kinda weird.<br/>TRACY. You think? I mean having a kid with your cousin wasn’t odd then?<br/>CHARITY. Okay, fair point.<br/>VANESSA. Ladies please, can we not talk like this. I mean I’m no saint either, I was old enough to be Kirin’s mother!<br/>TRACY. Yeah, you were babes. Have you found that coward yet?<br/>VANESSA. We’ve found out where he’s been but not where he is right now, he’s covered his tracks well.<br/>CHARITY. I’m hoping to press Priya for more information soon though. She must still be in touch with his sister at least. He must have confided in someone as to his whereabouts, I can’t see him being the independent type. They’re his only source of income, aren’t they?<br/>VANESSA. I’d reckon so, unless he’s found someone else to mother him.<br/>TRACY. Anyway, moving on. Another glass girls?<br/>VANESSA. I’m okay nursing this one thanks.<br/>CHARITY. Go on, just top me up. You got through that first one quick?<br/>TRACY. I was parched ladies, parched, ha ha. All that running around after the tots. I don’t know how you keep up with them at your age.<br/>VANESSA. Pardon?<br/>TRACY. I mean, well, you are both over forty now, it just must be harder than when you were younger.<br/>CHARITY. We’re hardly decrepit now, thanks babe. But since you ask, it’s that video Moses talked about. That’s how we keep ourselves fit.<br/>TRACY. What you watch a lesbian porno together?!<br/>VANESSA. No! Tracy!<br/>TRACY. Sorry! What you watch it separately, and then compare notes or something?<br/>VANESSA. No hun!<br/>CHARITY. Ha ha ha haa. Although you’ve given me ideas now Trace.<br/>VANESSA. Charity!<br/>CHARITY. Oh don’t tell me you’ve never?<br/>VANESSA. No, well maybe but not lesbian porn.<br/>CHARITY. No, well now you don’t need to babe.<br/>TRACY covered her ears. La la la la laa<br/>CHARITY. Oi you daft egg, we’re all over 18, some of us even more so apparently.<br/>TRACY. So…?<br/>VANESSA. Yes? What?<br/>TRACY. So, when you watched straight porn were you looking at the man or the woman?<br/>VANESSA. Well I didn’t know I was lesbian at that time, but now you ask, I think I was probably actually watching the woman more. Oh! Well if only I’d realised way back then…. but then I wouldn’t have Johnny now if I had.<br/>TRACY. Well you might have still had kids.<br/>VANESSA. True, but they wouldn’t be our gorgeous munchkin Johnny, though.<br/>CHARITY. I love it when Moses calls him Jayjay. They’re so close it’s wonderful.<br/>TRACY. Aww you two, you’ll have me crying in a minute.<br/>VANESSA. Oi sarky!<br/>TRACY. No babes, I’m not. I love it that you have your perfect little family. I’m jealous.<br/>VANESSA. Oh hun, you’ll find someone, hopefully soon.<br/>CHARITY. Yeah before you get too old or anything! Ha ha haa.<br/>TRACY. So, what video do you watch then?<br/>VANESSA. It’s one of those celebrity keep fit videos-<br/>CHARITY. With lots of women in cropped tops and tiny exercise shorts on. Ha ha. That’s what my darling Moses means, by ‘women in their underwear’.<br/>TRACY. Ohh! Well why do you whisper about that?<br/>CHARITY. Oh just because I didn’t want the boys to want to start joining in. It’s bad enough having to do the exercises with the presenters on cbeebies with them every day. Their songs are so damn catchy I cant remember the last time a song came into my head that wasn’t from a kids programme!<br/>TRACY. I get that. That’s what I had with them watching the same film over and over, I knew the script off by heart never mind the song lyrics as well. Anyway, moving on, how did your dinner date go the other week? Did you like the dinner I’d made?<br/>VANESSA. Oh hun I did it was so thoughtful of you. I did thank you didn’t I?<br/>TRACY. You did, you both did, we just haven’t talked about it in detail since.<br/>CHARITY. You want details now? You stuck your fingers in your ears a moment ago.<br/>TRACY. Oh ha ha, you’re so funny. No, not those details thanks. Just what did you wear and whether Charity spoilt you rotten or not Ness, like she said she was going to!<br/>CHARITY. Oh I did babes, I really did.<br/>CHARITY winked at VANESSA who grinned.<br/>VANESSA. She did Trace, it was fabulous. The boys stayed asleep the whole time too, so it was wonderful to have an uninterrupted evening to ourselves. That’s very rare these days. Oh sorry, I didn’t mean, you, now. We’ve missed you and were looking forward to tonight all week weren’t we babe?<br/>CHARITY. Yes honestly. I know I joke about caring about you Trace, but I really do feel like we’re sisters already. I mean, you’re the annoying little sister who says daft things sometimes, but I love you all the same.<br/>TRACY. Thanks, I think!<br/>VANESSA. Ah a perfect hug moment.<br/>TRACY. Nah I need more wine first, ha ha.<br/>CHARITY. I think I’ve mellowed too much, you two come up with all my sarky lines these days!<br/>VANESSA. No trust me hun, you’ve still got a supply all of your own, we’re mere beginners in that department ha ha. <br/>CHARITY pretended to look sad.<br/>VANESSA. Oh you.<br/>VANESSA kissed CHARITY on the end of her nose.<br/>TRACY cleared her throat.<br/>CHARITY leant across VANESSA.<br/>CHARITY. Oh sorry Trace are you feeling left out, do you want-<br/>TRACY. No! Ha ha. You’re a right pair.<br/>CHARITY. Which reminds me that pear icecream went down a treat didn’t it babe?<br/>VANESSA. Yeah, I had wondered what could be a surprise about icecream, but that certainly was it.<br/>TRACY. Oh good, I saw the recipe and tried it a while back, it was so simple to do I thought even Charity wouldn’t be able to muck that one up!<br/>TRACY winked at CHARITY, who laughed.<br/>CHARITY. I must admit I thought at first this isn’t going to have much flavour to it, but it was really nice, even if it was made by my fair hands!<br/>VANESSA. Yeah thanks both of you. And I loved the mini vegan burger with sweet potato fries, mmm they were divine.<br/>TRACY. Well it was Charity’s idea. I’m sure you could have made them successfully yourself really Charity. But I did offer to help so it was no problem, it was fun to do actually.<br/>CHARITY. Thanks babes, you were a star. And thanks for the soup too, so much nicer than my lumpy efforts.<br/>VANESSA. And Charity helped the boys make origami roses and hearts for our dinner table. I was so touched, they were beautiful.<br/>CHARITY. That was one of our craft lesson sessions for school ha ha. It was more fun than I ever thought folding paper could be actually. It’s amazing what you can learn on the interweb these days.<br/>VANESSA. Including butlering skills it seems!<br/>TRACY. Charity?<br/>CHARITY. Who else?<br/>VANESSA. Yeah she was brilliant, in that sexy shiny black jacket she’s got, and her white grandad collar type white shirt, with the neckline that goes down to –<br/>CHARITY. Oh you’re getting all hot and bothered babes. I’m getting flashbacks to that evening.<br/>CHARITY winked at TRACY.<br/>TRACY. Okay, that’s enough details thanks ladies. La la la laa ha ha. It all sounds great. I didn’t want any of your cast offs in the auction, so I was happy to help out with the dinner instead. I’m so glad you had a lovely time together.<br/>VANESSA. Yeah how much did we raise from that in the end, you’ve still not told me Charity?<br/>CHARITY. Not as much as I’d hoped, but it wasn’t bad I suppose. It was just over two hundred quid.<br/>VANESSA. Oh wow, that’s great hun, that’ll still be a nice surprise for the chemo ward.<br/>TRACY. Yeah well done the pair of you. Did you get a courier to deliver the items?<br/>CHARITY. I was going to, but then the final bidders said they would collect them once lockdown had eased.<br/>VANESSA. We made sure we got them properly cleaned and vacuum packed them in compost friendly sealed clothing bags.<br/>TRACY. Do you know who the final bidders are?<br/>CHARITY. Well we’ve got names for them, but they signed into Ryan’s website with ‘handle’ names I think it’s called, so I don’t actually know if they are anyone local or not really. I’m hoping they’ll let him know when they want their winning items.<br/>TRACY. Well, I’ve got a surprise for you about some of them.<br/>VANESSA. Oh yeah?<br/>CHARITY looked as confused as VANESSA and didn’t know what this was about.<br/>TRACY. Well Rhona won the bid for your red jumper Ness, to gift it back to you.<br/>VANESSA. Oh!<br/>TRACY. And Debs won the bid for your green jacket Charity, to gift that back to you.<br/>CHARITY. Oh, really! Oh, bless her.<br/>TRACY. The other items though I believe the winners are all locals, who will be in touch soon regarding collecting their items.<br/>VANESSA. Oh babes thank you. <br/>VANESSA gave TRACY  a big hug, then CHARITY got up and went over to hug TRACY too.<br/>CHARITY. Thanks babe, you kept that quiet.<br/>TRACY. No problem sis.<br/>CHARITY. Ahh you called me sis.<br/>TRACY. I’m calling both of you sis.<br/>VANESSA started singing “I’ve got everything that I neeed, right in front of me, nothing la la la, stopping me, I can see that it’s right here next to me” <br/>CHARITY joined in. “Life’s a happy song…”<br/>TRACY. Have the boys been watching The Muppets dvd non stop by any chance?<br/>CHARITY. How did you guess?<br/>TRACY. That’s the last one I picked to watch with them.<br/>VANESSA. Oh bless their little cotton socks.<br/>CHARITY. They must’ve missed you more than they let on then babe.<br/>They all grinned at each other.<br/>VANESSA. Shall we watch it now?<br/>TRACY and CHARITY together. No! Thanks babe.<br/>They all laughed.<br/>VANESSA picked up her wine glass. Cheers!<br/>They all clinked glasses.<br/>CHARITY and TRACY together. Cheers babes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Day 91 & Day 103</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Monday 22nd June 2020 </p><p>VANESSA and CHARITY are out for a walk together in the woods. They are walking slowly, arm in arm, snuggled close together. The sun is out but there is a light breeze.</p><p>CHARITY. Are you sure you’re warm enough babe?<br/>VANESSA. Honestly, hun, I am okay. I won’t break you know if there’s a bit of a breeze. It’s lovely to be out in the fresh air.<br/>CHARITY. It was good of Tracy to sit with the boys for a bit.<br/>VANESSA. I think she’s missed snuggling with them to watch a film, even if it is one she’s watched a hundred times. <br/>CHARITY. There is something comforting about watching a film with someone else who loves it, even if it’s not your favourite. It’s amazing how soon you end up loving it too, just because you see how happy it makes them.<br/>VANESSA. Aww hun. Do you enjoy watching Dr DoLittle with me now then?<br/>CHARITY. Ha, I’m still working on that one babe. I meant more when I watch dvds with the boys. Moses loves watching Christmas films. They used to do my head in, but the more I watch them with him, and I see how he reacts to the characters, the action and the comedy in them, it really makes my heart sing.<br/>VANESSA. Alright fess up, what have you done with my Charity!<br/>CHARITY. Babe!<br/>VANESSA. Sorry hun, I’m just still surprised when you are genuinely sentimental about things.<br/>CHARITY. Yeah, I know I take the mick a lot, but I do have a lot of these soppy feelings nowadays. You bring out the best in me, I’ve told you that before. But if you mention any of this to Chas or any of the wider clan, I might have to confiscate your prized Dr DoLittle dvd, because they would never stop ribbing me babe!<br/>VANESSA, Oh you rotter! I’ll keep schtum, don’t you worry about that. <br/>CHARITY smiled, unlinked arms and took VANESSA’s hand to hold instead.<br/>VANESSA. Thank you for yesterday. You were so lovely with me and Tracy, helping to keep our spirits up, with it being Father’s Day. Especially when you had your own Dad pop up out of the blue, as well.<br/>CHARITY. Anytime babe. You and our family are my priorities.<br/>VANESSA. Have you replied to the email he sent you yet?<br/>CHARITY. Not yet, I will. I just need to think a bit about what I’m going to say first. Will you help me with it later?<br/>VANESSA. Of course I will hun. We’re a team you and me. Do you think he feels guilty?<br/>CHARITY. I’m not sure. I think maybe deep down he does care about me. Or maybe he just regrets his life now that he’s so lonely and helpless.<br/>VANESSA. Did he say how long he had been in the care home?<br/>CHARITY. Not exactly, but not long, from what I could make out. <br/>VANESSA. Maybe it’s given him time to think. Did he realise the date when he sent it?<br/>CHARITY. I doubt it. I’ve never had reason to applaud him and celebrate Father’s Day before. It was probably the idea of the well-meaning carer who typed it out for him. Maybe he gave them some sob story, so they thought he could make amends getting in touch on Father’s Day. <br/>VANESSA. Do you know what he was referring to when he said he had something he wanted to give you before he-<br/>CHARITY. No idea. I can’t think of anything he has of worth to pass down to me. And if it’s anything sentimental, I’m not sure I want it.<br/>VANESSA gave CHARITY’s hand, a loving squeeze, and smiled at her.<br/>CHARITY. I was pleasantly surprised when he asked after you though. ‘How’s that strong-willed lass of yours?’ he wrote. I bet he thought that was a slur but it’s a compliment, I think. I need someone to stand up to me, and stand up for me, and you do that 101% babe. Heck, I love you so much. Come here.<br/>They stopped and VANESSA stood on tiptoe to meet CHARITY’s lips for a soft kiss.<br/>CHARITY. Ah, we’ve stopped at a fork in the path. Which way do you want to go babe?<br/>VANESSA. Whichever way you’re going hun.<br/>CHARITY smiled. Well, I’m going, wherever you’re going babe.<br/>VANESSA. Shall we go up this outer path, I think it comes out by the lake? We haven’t been up that way in a while.<br/>CHARITY. Perfect. <br/>They walked together in happy silence for a bit.<br/>CHARITY. It’s odd given what I know now, but before I came up with auction idea for my suits, I had another idea for them. <br/>VANESSA. Oh, and what might that be?<br/>CHARITY. Well I was looking at it through rose-tinted glasses I think because when I thought more about it, I couldn’t see myself potentially dealing with pricks every day just to help people out.<br/>VANESSA looked shocked.<br/>CHARITY. Ha ha haa. It’s okay, not menfolk, I meant potentially pricking my finger while sewing.<br/>VANESSA. Were you going to learn to do Tailoring, like your grandad?<br/>CHARITY. Well, not as such. But I thought I might be able to do alterations for people. <br/>VANESSA. You sew?<br/>CHARITY. Not so much now, no, but I used to make my own clothes, money was always tight, see.<br/>VANESSA. Did you know about your grandad’s business, before your Dad mentioned it in his email?<br/>CHARITY. Not at all, I barely remember being told anything about my so-called parents, let alone anything about theirs. I’m not sure why Dad’s told me now really, unless he thinks it’s a more honourable business than running a pub. Who knows, how he thinks really.<br/>VANESSA. It’s interesting how some connections are only found out about by chance though, isn’t it? I mean I’d love to know more about my grandparents, whether any of them were in animal welfare, in any way.<br/>CHARITY. Yeah it would be interesting to find out. Neither of us come from a conventional family really, do we? Talking of parents, is your Mum all ready for her imminent move?<br/>VANESSA. Yeah, I think so. I’m not sure I am though. It’ll take some getting used to having her living just around the corner. I hope she doesn’t interfere like Dad tried to.<br/>CHARITY. Isn’t that a parents’ role though? We think we know what’s best for our kids after all.<br/>VANESSA. True. I hope she loves you as much as I do.<br/>CHARITY. Well, not quite that much, I hope!<br/>VANESSA. Oh ha ha, you know what I mean.<br/>CHARITY. Yes, I do. I’m just envious. I wish I had my Mum around.<br/>VANESSA. I wish that too. It’s difficult to picture though, as you are so independent.<br/>CHARITY. Lisa’s the nearest person I’ve had like a mother over the years. Gosh, I miss her.<br/>VANESSA. I reckon she channels herself through you sometimes though, the way you try to keep the family together, and are always the one keeping the peace. You’re brilliant hun, you do know that don’t you?<br/>CHARITY. Thanks babe, I do try my best. Was Tracy really okay about your Mum coming to live in the village?<br/>VANESSA. Yeah, she took it better than I thought she would. It was nice, she said she would wait and see what she was like. She hoped to try and get on with her, so long as Mum didn’t blame her for Dad leaving us. <br/>CHARITY. Tracy’s the innocent party in that though, isn’t she? She can’t be blamed for what her parents’ did.<br/>VANESSA. Well exactly, but it wasn’t until I went to visit Mum in Cornwall last year that I realised just how much she loved Dad, and how it tore her apart when he left us.<br/>CHARITY. Why didn’t your Mum want to stay in Cornwall? I love Yorkshire, but if we had the chance to have a holiday home in Cornwall, I’d love it. It’s a bit of a trek but it’d be worth it. The scenery is beautiful, and it’d be so nice to be beside the sea.<br/>VANESSA. It is lovely there, but to be fair if we could afford somewhere round here with a swimming pool that’d do me to be honest.<br/>CHARITY. Well, that’s something to aspire to too. Duly noted, babe. Shall we have a sit down on that bench? I’s got a lovely view over the lake.<br/>VANESSA. Yep good idea, I’m getting a bit tired.<br/>CHARITY. Oh babe, you should have said, I’m sorry, have we gone too far?<br/>VANESSA. No, hun. It’s okay. I’m enjoying having a walk with you. It’s lovely to be just us for a bit. And it’s a sunny day, so it’s lovely. A short rest here, and I’ll be refreshed to carry on.<br/>CHARITY looked at her.<br/>VANESSA. Honestly, hun. I’m okay. Okay?<br/>CHARITY. Okay babe.<br/>They smiled at each other. Charity reached into her small cooler bag with two bottles of drink in.<br/>CHARITY. Which would you like babe? Orgasmic Orange, or Booby Blueberry?<br/>VANESSA. Ha, you’ve renamed the mocktails the boys had then?<br/>CHARITY. These are Vanessa specials, babe.<br/>VANESSA. They don’t have alcohol in do they?<br/>CHARITY. No, don’t worry. They are just nicely chilled for my orgasmic booby babe.<br/>VANESSA. Oh, you call me the sweetest names, hun, really. Ha ha ha.<br/>CHARITY. Yes, so, which one would you like babe?<br/>VANESSA. Orgasmic Orange please hun. <br/>CHARITY. Here you go m’lady, and I’ll have the boobies, ha ha.<br/>VANESSA. If we don’t do too long a walk, we might get a chance to have their namesakes later on this evening hun.<br/>VANESSA winked at CHARITY.<br/>CHARITY. You’re on. I think this lake’s as good a place as any to turn around at, eh babes?<br/>VANESSA. You read my mind hun.<br/>CHARITY winked at VANESSA, and grinned.</p><p>12 days later  (Day 103)<br/>At the breakfast table in Jacob’s Fold.<br/>CHARITY. I can’t believe we are going to get back to some kind of normality today.<br/>VANESSA. Whoever thought we’d end up with the same Independance day as America, eh hun?<br/>CHARITY. I know. This whole lockdown has been weird though. Scrap that, 2020 wasn’t the best year before that, never mind the last three months.<br/>VANESSA. Is Chas all ready for the pub reopening today?<br/>CHARITY. Yes, we’ve managed to set up the app ordering system. Well, I say we, Ryan did most of that for us, he’s a star. We’ve got less tables and they’re spaced out to maintain social distancing. There’s hand sanitiser stations all over, and no one is allowed to come to the bar, and everyone pays contactless at the table.<br/>VANESSA. Are Mandy and Bob on all day?<br/>CHARITY. Yeah with Chas’ overseeing things.<br/>VANESSA. I don’t mind if you want to go too you know.<br/>CHARITY. I know, thanks babe. I’m still wary of being places though too myself, and I’ve got your health to protect.<br/>VANESSA. Yes, but you’ve been doing the shopping all through lockdown, and looking after me and the boys so well, none of us have been ill.<br/>CHARITY. I know, and long may that continue. I said I would pop over tomorrow when things are hopefully a bit quieter, to see how it’s gone. And I’ll be back doing my shift on Monday, I just would rather keep out the way this weekend, til the novelty has worn off a bit you know. Plus, I would rather spend a Saturday evening cuddled up on the sofa with you and the boys, watching whatever film you want-<br/>VANESSA. Even Dr Dolittle?<br/>CHARITY. Yep, even that one babe. So long as it means I get to spend a lovely evening in with you all.<br/>VANESSA. I said Tracy could come round too, sorry, do you mind hun?<br/>CHARITY. Won’t she be off down the pub with lover boy or with her mates?<br/>VANESSA. Apparently not, he’s still too busy up at the farm. Think her mates are busy with their other halves unfortunately,<br/>CHARITY. I thought he would be champing at the bit to get to the pub. I thought he was missing it more than Tracy from what she said?<br/>VANESSA. Apparently, there’s too much to do this weekend, but hopefully he’ll take her for a drink there on Monday.<br/>CHARITY. Oh great, so I have to watch them sucking each others’ faces off on Monday, when I can’t be with you, to do the same, ha ha.<br/>VANESSA. Charity! Be nice ha ha. Tracy needs cheering up tonight, and reminding that we want to spend time with her even if her fella doesn’t.<br/>CHARITY. She’s better off without him, like I said.<br/>VANESSA looked at her.<br/>CHARITY. Of course she can come round babes. I’m just saying-<br/>VANESSA. I know you have her best interests at heart hun. But she’s been lonely during lockdown, let’s let her at least enjoy a bit of time with him. I don’t think she’ll stand for much nonsense from him if he keeps on like this. She’ll be okay.<br/>They got up and started clearing the breakfast table.<br/>JOHNNY and MOSES walked carefully down the stairs to join them.<br/>JOHNNY. Is Auntie Tracy coming around tonight?<br/>VANESSA. Yes, big ears!<br/>MOSES. That’s what Mummy calls me.<br/>CHARITY. Well, it applies to you both, babe.<br/>VANESSA. Do you want to change the date on your blackboard boys?<br/>MOSES. Are we on a new month already?<br/>CHARITY. Not quite darling, July started four days ago, didn’t it babe? Oh, whoops-<br/>MOSES. It was the three day yesterday Mummy.<br/>VANESSA. Yes, it was the third yesterday Moses.<br/>MOSES. The third three day, Mummy Ness?<br/>JOHNNY.  No, the third day, silly.<br/>VANESSA. Don’t call him, silly darling.<br/>JOHNNY. Sorry Mummy.<br/>VANESSA cocked her head in MOSES’ direction.<br/>JOHNNY. Sorry Moyo.<br/>VANESSA. So, what date is it today then?<br/>MOSES jumped forward pretending to brandish a light sabre and shouted: “May the fourth be with you!”<br/>CHARITY. Ha ha, that’s a different month babe, but yes the-<br/>JOHNNY. Fourth?<br/>VANESSA. Yes babe. Our clever boys.<br/>CHARITY. Our clever boys, indeed.<br/>MOSES joined JOHNNY at their blackboard to change the date counter at the top.<br/>CHARITY slid her arms around VANESSA’s waist, pulled her in close, and kissed her deeply.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>--THE END—<br/>Until such time as the actual Emmerdale storyline with either of #Vanity draws me to continue this on! Or not. Thank you for reading, and please comment on it, if you enjoyed my lockdown tale for them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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